Multi-ply pads or pad fillers



C. G. JOA

Dec. 5, 1967 MULTI-PLY PADS OR PAD FILLERS 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Nov.20, 1964 INVENTOR. Jae 7- 6. Jon

A7 701? E Y 5 C. G. JOA

MULTI-PLY PADS OR PAD FILLEBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mww INVENTOR. 6 0197 6. JE

W,LI-Mvm ATTORNEY Dec. 5, 1967 Filed Nov. 20, 1964 United States Patent3,356,092 MULTI-PLY PADS 0R PAD FILLERS Curt G. Joa, Ocean Ridge, Fla.(Box 1121, Boynton Beach, Fla. 33435) Filed Nov. 20, 1964, Ser. No.412,671 9 Claims. (Cl. 128-287) This invention relates to multi-ply padsor pad fillers used in sanitary napkins, hospital pads, diapers and thelike.

Cross reference is made to my copending applications Ser. No. 184,105,filed Apr. 2, 1962, now U.S. Patent No. 3,322,589, and Ser. No. 296,208filed July 19 1963, now U.S. Patent No. 3,291,131 which show multi-plypads. The pad or pad filler and the method of the present 1nventionembody improvements over those disclosed in my prior applicationsaforesaid in the following respects:

(1) Each of the mat or batt plies of the pads or pad fillers of thepresent invention has an individual inner wrapper which is applied toribbon strips of mat material disposed in laterally adjacent relationbefore these strips are folded into superposed relationship.Accordingly, when the superposed strips are cut ofi into discrete padsize units, the ends of each ply in the pad or pad filler are sealedwith such inner wrapper.

(2) The pads or pad fillers are fabricated according to a novel methodin which a plurality of ribbon strips of mat or batt material are fed inlaterally spaced side-byside relation, wrapper sheet material is fedover the entire width of the ribbon strips at the top and bottom facesthereof, the sheet material is sealed together across the lateralspacing between adjacent mat ribbon strips to form bendable linkslaterally between the strips and the strips are then folded laterallyabout said links into superposed relationship.

. (3) By reason of the method aforesaid, great flexibility in the numberof plies in the ultimate pad or filler product is achieved. The numberof plies can be varied, for example, by varying the number of ribbonstrips which are fed in side-by-side relationship.

(4) A contoured shape for the ends of the ultimate pad product isreadily achieved by varying the widths and thickness of certain of themat ribbons, for example, the two outermost ribbons. When these arefolded into superposed relation with respect to the innermost ribbonsand discrete portions cut therefrom, the ends of the pads thus producedare tapered or contoured.

(5) The method aforesaid facilitates addition of a moistureproof barrierply into the pad. This ply is fed concurrently with fabrication of thepad and is desirably laid over one only of the mat ribbons and isdesirably heat sealed to the wrapper plies in the spaces betweenadjacent ribbons.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willappear from the following disclosure in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic plan view showing some of the apparatus forfabricating multi-ply pads embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the diagrammatically shown apparatus ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a continuation of theapparatus of FIGURE 1 and illustrating the overwrapping of the padfiller and the cutting off thereof into discrete pads.

FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a cross section taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a cross section taken along the line 6--6 of FIGURE 3.

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FIGURE 7 is a cross section taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 3,portions of the composite pad filler strip beyond the plane of the crosssection being shown in perspective.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a sanitary napkin in which the padfiller is fabricated in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a filler for the napkin of FIGURE 8.

Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable thoseskilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodimentsherein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied inother specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in theclaims appended hereto.

In accordance with the present invention, laterally adjacent spacedapart ribbon strips 10, 11, 12 and 13 of mat or batt material are fedfrom conveyor belt 14 onto conveyor belt 15. The mat or batt strips10-13 inclusive may be formed on apparatus as shown in my U.S. Patent3,086,253. A bottom tissue sheet 16 from parent roll 17 is fed overconveyor belt 15 to underlie the strips 10-13. A relatively narrowbarrier strip 18 of moistureproof material such as polyethylene or likeplastic filler is fed from a parent roll 19 around guide roller 20 andover one of the mat strips, for example strip 12, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Thereafter a top tissue sheet 22 is fed from a parent roll 23 aroundguide roller 21 to overlie all of the mat strips 10-13 and strip 18.Accordingly, the mat ribbon strips are covered top and bottom by thewrapper tissue sheets 16, 22, and one of the mat strips 12 is alsocovered at its top surface with a barrier strip 18.

The wrapping sheet materials in the spaces between adjacent mat strips10-13 and at the extreme lateral margins of the assembly of strips arecold crimped together by the opposed upper and lower crimping wheels 24,25. The lateral margins of the barrier strip 18 are heat sealed to thewrapping sheet material laterally adjacent strip 12 by heat seal wheels26-heated from heating element drums 27, the heating elementstherewithin being energized electrically from a source 28.

Reference character 29 is applied to the seals formed by the coldcrimping wheels 24, 25, and reference character 30 is applied to theheat seals formed by the heat seal wheels 26. This process results inthe formation of llagncllgble link strips 32, 33, 34 between the ribbonstrips At this stage in the fabrication of the pad, the condition sp wnin FIGURE 4 exists. Each mat strip 104: is individually contained withintissue wrappers 16, 22, these being cold crimped at 29 in the bendablelink strips 32, 33, 34 between adjacentpads' 10-13. Pad'sttip 12 isadditionally provided with a covering of moistureproof materlal 18 heatsealed to bendable link strips 33, 34 at 30.

A pair of plows or folding boards 31 now fold the outermost ribbonstrips 10, 13 on the bendable links 32, 33, 34 to superpose mat strip 10on mat strip 11 and mat strip 13 on mat strip 12, as shown in FIGURE 5.Another plow 36 then folds the mat strips about the bendable link 33 todispose the respective mat plies 10-13 in a superposed stack. The belts35 carry the stacked ribbons to the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3.

Accordingly, the respective mats which are superposed one on the otherare sealed individually within the wrap per sheets 16, 22 and thebendable links 32, 33, 34 between successive adjacent mats are staggeredat opposite sides of the continuous strip of superposed mats, as shownin FIGURE 6. The barrier ply 18 is offset toward one side of thecomposite stack of mat strips.

The composite strip shown in FIGURE 6 is now further processed as shownin FIGURE 3 in which it is overwrapped by a wrapper sheet of crepewadding 37, the margins'of-the crepe wadding being overlapped'by a coverply of wadding 38 which spans the space between said margins, as shownin FIGURE 7. Seams 4-0 between wadding. strips;37, 38 are formed bycrimping wheels 39. This condition is shown in FIGURE 7. Not only arethe-mat p1ies.10-13= provided with inner wrappers 16, 22, but thecomposite stack is provided with outer wrapper 37, 38; The innerwrappers 16, 22 are made of tissue which. is only aboutone half ascostly as the wadding 37, 38 and functions to contain the fluff materialofthe mat strips 1043 in. place within. the outer wadding wrapper 37,38. Accordingly, the fluff material cannot spill out of the confinesofthe inner wrappers.

As is also diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 3, individual discrete padsor pad fillers 43 may then be cut laterally from the-composite pad stripshown in FIGURE 7, thus to form. pad. fillers for further use such as insanitary napkins. When cut at an angle, as shown in FIGURE 3, these padsor pad fillers have converging sides. Such a filler is shown in FIGURE9. The ends of the fluff filler are closed or sealed: by the wrappersheets 11, 22, 37 and the sidesof the fluff are exposed. If desired,however, the cuts: may be perpendicularto the margins of the pad stripto. form pads with parallel sides. Where the; discrete pads 43 are to beincorporated in a sanitary napkin, for example, they are encased. in awrapper 44' shownin- FIGURE. 8 to constitute a napkin 45.

The offsetting of, the barrier strip 18 toward one side of thecompositepad, as shown. in FIGURES 6, and 7, gives the pad selectiveabsorption capacity depending upon which side of the, pad is worntoward'the body, for example, in a, sanitary napkin, diaper or hospitalpad. Ordinarily, the. barrier strip 18 will be offset away from thatside. of the pad which is worn next to the body to provide; thegreatest; absorption. However, if the pad is inverted when in use,therev will still. be ample absorption in that; portion of the padbetween its face toward whiohthe, barrier strip. 18 is offset and, thebarrier strip. The barrier; strip: prevents strike through.

By making the; laterally outermost ribbon strips 10,

1 3, narrower thanthe innermost; ribbon: strips 11, 12, the

ends; of the: final product as shown in FIGURE 8 are aper d. or.ontoured.

Fromv the. iqmgoing. it. is clear that the method of fabricating thepad: and. the pad product resulting therefrom; asihieye the advantagesfirst set outin this specifica. tion, The resultant product isalternatively characterized as. a, pad or pad filler because it iscapable of use as shown in its condition in-FIGURE7, before furtherwrap-. ping, or it may be used as a filler for the wrapper 44 shown inFIGURE 8. The dimensions, of the pad will vary according to itsintendeduse Those illustrated inthe instantdrawings relate specifipallyto an end use; in a ypk T e mat plies, etc. w uld e made much.

ider-for nd us v n a iap r. r o pitalpa I claim:

1: A part or pad filler comprising superposed mat plies, inner wrapperssealed' individaully about the ends of each mat ply and an outer wrapperabout the superposed assembled plies said mat plys being interlinked atthe ends. by intermediate portions of said inner wrappers.

2. The pad or pad filler of claim 1 in which said inner wrapperscomprise tissue and the outer wrapper comprises crepe wadding.

3. The pad or pad filler of claim 1 in which successive links are atopposite ends of the pad filler.

4. A pad according to claim 1 including a moisture barrier between twoof the superposed plys.

5. A method of fabricating a pad or pad filler having superposed matplies-comprising the steps of feeding a plurality of ribbonstrips of matmaterial in laterally spaced.

side-by-side relation, feeding top and. bottom Wrapper, sheetmaterialover. the entire width of the said plurality of ribbon strips at the topand bottom faces thereof, seal-- ing said. top andbottom wrapper sheetmaterial together; across. the lateral spacing between mat ribbon stripsto form bendable links laterally therebetween, and. folding said stripslaterally. into superposed relation.

6. The method of claim 5 plusthe, further step of overwrapping thesuperposed mat strips and cutting the wrapped superposed stripslaterally into discrete pads having wrapped ends and exposed sides.

7. The method of claim 5 in, which one of the strips. in said pluralityis narrower than, other of: saidstrips. and is disposed at the outsideof the pad after the strips are; laterally folded whereby the ends ofthe pad; are tapered;

8. The method of claimSpplus the further step of feed-.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 608,921 8/1898 Silverman 12'8 296810,134 1/1906 Green 128-296 2,787,271 4/1957 Clark 128-290 2,926,6673/1960 Burger etal. 1282 85' 2,952,259 9/1960 Burgeni 128-290 3,183,9105/1965 Patterson 128-290 3,211,147 10/1965 Pherson et al. 1-2'8284ICHARDA- AIJDET. r mary Ex in n ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner.

C. F. ROSENBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,356,092 December 5, 1967 Curt G. Joa

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 1, line 35, for "aforesaid" read aforestated column 3, line 23,for the number "11'' read l6 column 4, line 2, beginning with "A pad"strike out all to and including "wrappers." in lines 6 and 7, samecolumn 4 and insert instead A pad or pad filler comprising superposedmat plies, inner wrappers sealed individually about the ends of each matply, said mat plies being interlinked at the ends by intermediateportions of said inner wrappers and an outer wrapper about thesuperposed assembled plies.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of April 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. A PAD OR PAD FILLER COMPRISING SUPERPOSED MAT PLIES, INNER WRAPPERSSEALED INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT THE ENDS OF EACH MAT PLY AND AN OUTER WRAPPERABOUT THE SUPERPOSED ASSEMBLED PLIES SAID MAT PLYS BEING INTERLINKED ATTHE ENDS BY INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF SAID INNER WRAPPERS.
 5. A METHOD OFFABRICATING A PAD OR PAD FILLER HAVING SUPERPOSED MAT PLIES COMPRISINGTHE STEPS OF FEEDING A PLURALITY OF RIBBON STRIPS OF MAT MATERIAL INLATERALLY SPACED SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION, FEEDING TOP AND BOTTOM WRAPPERSHEET MATERIAL OVER THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE SAID PLURALITY OR RIBBONSTRIPS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES THEREOF, SEALING SAID TOP AND BOTTOMWRAPPER SHEET MATERIAL TOGETHER ACROSS THE LATERAL SPACING BETWEEN MATRIBBON STRIPS TO FORM BENDABLE LINKS LATERALLY THEREBETWEEN, AND FOLDINGSAID STRIPS LATERALLY INTO SUPERPOSED RELATION.